Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent

Today's Mass Readings

While sugarplums dance in the minds of children and many of us are exhausted from our preparations for Christmas, Advent still has one last message for us. The first reading from Samuel describes David as settling into his new palace, and yet thinking about the Ark of God residing in a tent. Although David’s desire to build a temple is strong, God sends David a message through Nathan. The message states that God has watched over David and all of Israel and will continue to do so. Nathan is trying to remind David that the Lord is in charge. God through Nathan makes a promise to David. The promise is that the House of David shall endure forever and that God “will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and will make his Kingdom firm.”(2 Sam 7:12b) The responsorial psalm continues with a reminder of the promise made to David. “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant:” to establish his throne forever. (Psalm 89:3-4b) The psalm response which comes from Verse 2 of Psalm 89 is a good mantra for us today, especially in this late Advent. “Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.” It is a prayer that many of us could us to pray more often.

The song found in today’s Gospel is sometimes called “The Canticle of Zechariah”. It is a song that is sung or prayed with “Morning Prayer” which is prayed by almost all religious orders and priests. “Morning Prayer” along with the rest of the “Liturgy of the Hours” is the other official prayer of the Church. The canticle recalls how God created a covenant with Abraham, established the house of David, and how now the time to prepare ourselves for the Most High. Zechariah’s song celebrates the circumcision and naming of his own son John, who later will be known as “the Baptist”.

The Promise established so long ago comes to fruition this night with the celebration of the birth of Christ. A final spiritual preparation for this commemoration might to be meditate on the Canticle of Zechariah, Luke 1:67-79. Or if time is a constraint, today’s response repeated slowly and prayerfully in the quiet moments of today might help us to joyfully remember God’s Promise, who is Jesus the Messiah and His Kingdom shall have no end. Amen!

- Michael Montgomery